A well-conducted survey or research study can offer a unique lens by which we can better understand our world. When they are done poorly, they are nothing more than an expensive grasp of the obvious.

A recent MassMutual survey, in time for Women’s Cancer Survivor Day this month, fell into the latter category and rankled me because it seemed to prey on people’s legitimate concern for cancer survivors.

The online survey (of affluent women ages 30 to 64 with household incomes of at least $100,000) found…wait for it!…that women who have been diagnosed with cancer are more likely to have a financial plan. “Women who had received a cancer diagnosis had more elements of a financial plan in place, were planning for retirement, and had a greater sense of self than other groups surveyed,” a statement on the survey explained.

Could it be that they had an imminent fear of death, a need to protect and preserve the wealth of those around them, that they feared as much as death the financial demise of their families? Obviously.

I didn’t need a survey of women cancer survivors to tell me that. Did you? MassMutual thought so.

I should point out that I am omitting the link to the study because ultimately, its executives want it to steer you to do business with the company, which touts itself as one that “supports women in the battle against cancer” and is “a leader in providing insurance coverage for breast cancer survivors.” Both of those statements, contained in a press release announcing the survey results, would be far more impressive if the company didn’t conduct a silly study of cancer survivors who are women.